Rule 4-107 Safeguards.

This rule sets up protections for people who go through the faster child support and paternity process handled by a referee instead of a judge.

First, both parties must get a copy of what the referee recommends, along with the final order once a judge approves it. This means you will always have paperwork showing what was decided and what the judge officially ordered.

Second, a referee's recommendation does not become official on its own. A judge has to review it and sign off before it can be enforced. This gives you an added layer of oversight, since a judge always has the final say.

Third, if your case has complicated issues that need a judge's attention, the referee can still set up a temporary support order to cover things in the meantime. The harder issues then get sent to the district court, where a judge will sort them out.